Richemont transfers IT operations to Amazon Web Services

Swiss luxury group Richemont has announced it is moving its entire enterprise IT infrastructure to Amazon Web Services (AWS). The transfer will result in the closing of its European data centres and the migration of its additional stations in Hong Kong and the US to AWS by the end of 2022.

Richemont, the parent company of Cartier, Montblanc and IWC Schaffhausen, is set to transport more than 5,000 virtual machines and 120 SAP instances to AWS, as part of a digital transformation strategy that looks to modernise its infrastructure, raise security and prioritise automation across global operations.

The strategy will also see the migration of its product lifecycle management, e-commerce systems, supply chain management and accounting to AWS. As part of a five-year plan, the company will develop cloud-based systems for innovative customer experiences through digitally optimised channels, utilising machine learning, personalised e-commerce and styling services.

“AWS is integral to our enterprise IT transformation as we look for better ways to serve our customers, streamline the way we work and compete globally,” said Richemont’s chief information officer, Kim Hartlev, in a statement. “AWS, with its proven experience and highly performant global infrastructure, will deliver the agility, security and scalability that we need to launch new business processes and new service models. AWS’s unparalleled pace of innovation and broad portfolio of services, including analytics and machine learning, will help us gain greater insights and become an even more agile company in the cloud.”

Furthermore, Richemont is set to increase its use of the AWS marketplace. The partnership will allow the company to scale and personalise shopping experiences on its online channels. It also will utilise AWS Skills Guild to provide training and certification for its IT employees, in keeping with its strategy to increase its place as a product-focused organisation.